June 21st, 2021
Werner’s Weekly (week 25)
This is Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters, containing the two most recent Carte Blanche Music Wildcards, and the best of the other new releases in alphabetical order:
- Jonas Brøg (feat. Lilian Vieira) – I’m Your Nr. 1 [Brazilian Version] (Wildcard this week)
- Dylan Cartlidge – Hang My Head (Wildcard last week)
- bülow – Revolver
- Japanese Breakfast – Paprika
- Flay (feat. Travis Barker) – Dating My Dad
- Niko Rubio – Bed
- Silvertwin – Saviour
Click the links for more info and listen to each of the tracks via the Werner’s Weekly player below.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist. Also added last week: Annie feat. Jake Shears, Chromeo, Modest Mouse, and more.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Fear Of Tigers – Don’t Hurt Me
Apparently, Fear Of Tigers don’t want to waste your time. I guess that’s why all of their recent songs are only 2 to 3 minutes long. And that’s a pity. I know it sounds strange from a sucker for radio edits like me, but I wouldn’t mind their tracks to last a little longer. They’re so infectious!
New single Don’t Hurt Me is a good example. It’s got a house piano, bird sounds (are those birds?), a catchy synth bass, soft beats, and vocals that sound like they’re sampled, all crammed into two minutes. Don’t be so shy, Benjamin Berry (FOT’s real name), your tunes are good enough to entertain us a little longer! 😊
Recommended as well:
Fear Of Tigers – Boy Talk
Fear Of Tigers – Tiger Blood
Follow Fear Of Tigers on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Bastette – Talk About It
Are you into the current New Wave Of Classic Rock and/or bands like Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless? Then this is up your alley…
Bastette was only formed in early 2019 in Blackburn, UK. It’s the band of singer-songwriter Caroline Eve Kenyon, a passionate, fiery redhead with a powerful voice. I’ve been told that during live performances, she effortlessly switches between a sultry songstress and a power pop diva. The band’s website features the anonymous quote ‘It’s like watching the bastard love child of Katy Perry and Ozzy Osbourne’. That’s pretty spot-on…
Talk About It is Bastette’s seventh single to date. It’s a fearless, upbeat, sassy rock track about ‘sleeping with the enemy’ and taking back control. Following last year’s Stand Back, it’s the second track to be released ahead of the band’s sophomore EP. Titled Bastette Exposed, it’s set to be released in September.
Follow Bastette on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
The Allergies – Move On Baby
The Allergies release music all year round, but it simply sounds best in the summer. The new single from Bristol’s heavyweight DJ’s Rackabeat and Moneyshot is no exception. And to make things even better, it has a good old ‘double A-side’. On the flip, you’ll find Are You Ready, which features unofficial third member Andy Cooper‘s razor-sharp rhymes, and soul singer Marietta Smith. You can discover it via the link above.
Move On Baby however, is the single’s title track. This is what sonic sunshine sounds like. It’s full of samples, as you’d expect from The Allergies, but with a tropical feel. This is one hell of a cocktail, with ingredients as infectious as latin brass, hard-hitting but funky drums, vintage rhythm ’n’ blues vocals, whistles, and overall feel-good dancefloor vibes. Think Buena Vista Social Club on steroids.
Both tracks will also feature on the party starters’ upcoming album Promised Land.
Recommended as well:
Let Them Know (feat. The Cuban Brothers)
2 Much! (feat. Andy Cooper)
It Won’t Be Me (feat. Andy Cooper)
Follow The Allergies on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
RoseeLu – Got Me Feeling Like This
Always doing things her own way, RoseeLu has always been a loner. Knowing that, you won’t be surprised she released her first two singles via the DIY route. Those two tracks were enough for Universal Denmark to discover her. They must have promised her big things, for almost contrary to her nature, she decided to sign with the largest record company of the world. Quite honestly: it will be hard for the label not to deliver on its promises. RoseeLu is a huge talent and a potential superstar. All the label has to do, is tell the world about her.
I’ve been praising her major label debut, Playing Alone, extensively last March. Got Me Feeling Like This is only the third Universal release from the 20-year-old Copenhagener. The opening notes bear some resemblance to Top Of The World by The Carpenters, while RoseeLu probably doesn’t even know the song. The rest of the track however has more of a ‘90s feel than the sound of the ‘70s.
Got Me Feeling Like This is an energetic tune, thanks to driving guitars, and a four-to-the-floor beat that could’ve been programmed by Butch Vig for a Garbage hit. Garbage the band, that is. During the first 40 seconds, the song is rather understated, but along the way it builds into a euphoric chorus. Throughout, RoseeLu’s vocals have a Billie Eilish-like nonchalance, but with more of a sparkle to it. This might very well be the voice of the next generation.
About the lyrical content, the singer says: “Although I’m still rather young, I’ve experienced being madly in love. I’ve also experienced the type of love where you end up losing yourself and lack the ability to be true to your own values. And even though it’s a hard farewell, sometimes you just have to do it in order to return to yourself again. This song was made only with the intention of letting these feelings go – make them free and give them the space they need.”
Lastly, one piece of advice: with a huge international career at her fingertips, it might be time for RoseeLu to start communicating via her socials in English. Could someone please forward this tip to her? Thank me later 😉
Recommended as well:
RoseeLu – Playing Alone
Follow RoseeLu on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Cold War Kids – What You Say
I’m a long-time fan of Cold War Kids. Ever since the release of their debut album Robbers And Cowards, to be precise. Almost exactly 15 years later (on 24 September), the Californian rock band will put out their ninth record: New Age Norms 3. As you can tell from its title, this will be the final episode in a trilogy they started in 2019.
Founding members Nathan Willett and Matt Maust are still with the quintet. Since the mid ‘10s, they’re accompanied by Joe Plummer, Matthew Schwartz and David Quon. Originally best-known for their bluesy rock sound, their music has become decidedly ‘lighter’ in recent years. New single What You Say can even be described as danceable. And still, it’s immediately recognizable as a Cold War Kids-tune, not in the least because of Willett’s unique soulful vocals.
He says of the track: “I think all of us want to reveal ‘our full selves’ to someone who truly understands. But when we do we expose ourselves to judgment, to criticism. So we don’t wanna give ourselves away too easily. That’s why poetry is awesome, it’s not politicizing, it speaks to our deeper, universal stuff. What you say is a big deal, your words have power.”
Recommended as well:
Cold War Kids – So Tied Up (feat. Bishop Briggs)
Cold War Kids – Love Is Mystical
Follow Cold War Kids on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Clara Luciani – Respire Encore
When I first wrote about Clara Luciani, over three years ago, she was an upcoming French singer. By now, we may conclude she delivered on the promise. For those in doubt: just listen to her new album Coeur (‘heart’). It’s a record that was born out of a profound love for 1960s and ‘70s music, but in the meantime firmly planted in the 2020s. That’s French DJ Breakbot’s contribution to the project. He adds a modern touch to Luciani’s retro influences.
Album track Respire Encore (‘breathe again’) is a great example of this nu-disco sound. It features a prominent bass and funky guitar riffs, as well as a beautiful string arrangement, played by no less than 18 violinists. Backing vocals are provided by Clara’s older sister Lea Luciani, who was the subject of earlier single Ma Soeur.
Lyrically, Respire Encore is an ode to post-lockdown life. “I wrote this song to convince myself that happier days were coming“, the artist explains. Looks like she was right about that!
Recommended as well:
Clara Luciani – Ma Soeur
Clara Luciani – La Grenade
Follow Clara Luciani on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Client Liaison – House Of Holy
Monte Morgan (vocals) and Harvey Miller (keyboards, producer) are Australian indie-pop duo Client Liaison. They’ve just announced their second long-player Divine Intervention, which will be out on 10 September. That’s almost five years after their debut album Diplomatic Immunity. The upcoming record will hold 14 tracks, including the songs the duo released since 2019: The Real Thing, The Beat Supreme, Champagne Affection and Intervention.
This means Client Liaison’s slick new single House Of Holy is the fifth teaser track to be released. It’s a euphoric, disco-infused tune with a groovy guitar riff, joyful handclaps and a triumphant flute solo.
Speaking about the track, they say: “We wrote House Of Holy in 2019 with (PNAU’s) Nick Littlemore at LA’s Sunset Sound studios. Inspiration for the song struck us after we visited the studio’s haunted upper floors. House Of Holy sets the tone for what this album is all about. It looks to the future with restless wonder, dedicating mind, body and spirit to having a seriously good time.”
Recommended as well:
Client Liaison – The Beat Supreme
Client Liaison – The Real Thing
Follow Client Liaison on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Hawke – Halfway To Toronto
In a world where over 60.000 tracks are added to Spotify every day, it’s hard to avoid bands being overlooked. That’s not a problem, as long as these are the shite bands. Hawke however aren’t anywhere near this category. Yet, I’ve got a feeling they’re flying under the radar. Very wrongly so.
Irish friends Richie Power (vocals/keyboards) and Eoghan MacMahon (vocals/guitar) are currently based in London. An inspiring city, apparently, for Halfway To Toronto is their fourth single of the year so far. With an intro that reminds me a bit of Marillion’s Cover My Eyes (Pain And Heaven), this is another anthemic track that begs to be played live.
‘Halfway to Toronto’ being somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, seen from their new hometown, let’s hope Hawke manage to keep their feet dry!
Recommended as well:
Hawke – Pinch Me (Am I Dreaming?)
Follow Hawke on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Wildcard (week 24):
Jonas Brøg (feat. Lilian Vieira) – I’m Your Nr. 1 [Brazilian Version]
It’s heart-warming to see people claw their way back after hard times. Especially when they’re your friends. Full disclosure: Jonas Brøg is a good friend of mine. A sweet and wonderful chap. He’s had his share of hardship in the past years, but he fully embraced his music (and not in the least his family) to recover from the darkness.
It’s been too long since we last spoke, but his music spoke for him. It was great to ‘hear’ him see the light at the end of the tunnel and walk towards it. If his new single is something to go by, he left the tunnel behind him. I’m as happy for Jonas as the song is in itself.
I’m Your Nr. 1 sounds like a ray of sunshine over a recently re-opened terrace. That already goes for the solo version, but the Brazilian Version is even more summer-y. It features additional vocals in Portuguese, and a guest appearance by Zuco 103 singer Lilian Vieira.
Jonas is throwing a party, and he invites you to come dance with him. Welcome back my friend, meet you there! Or here, for I’m Your Nr. 1 by Jonas Brøg is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard and will feature here prominently for a whole week.
Recommended as well:
My Father’s Hand (feat. London Community Gospel Choir)
That Feeling
All Across The Sky
I Think Of You I Cry (feat. Laura Mathilde)
Follow Jonas Brøg on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
Follow Lilian Vieira on Facebook | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.